With the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) due to hold its annual meeting from 14 to 22 November, its scientific committee has just delivered its latest assessment on the status of the stocks of tunas in the Atlantic.
According to Gérard Romiti, president of French fishermen’s federation CNPMEM, fishermen have been looking forward all year to the results of bluefin tuna assessments following ten years of the ICCAT recovery plan.
ICCAT’s figures indicate that this species is now optimally exploited and meets ICCAT’s objectives
‘These results are no surprise to fishermen who have been aware of a growing bluefin presence all around French coasts,’ he said, adding that fishermen in Brittany in particular have been reporting a strong bluefin presence throughout the summer.
‘French fishermen have contributed to these results and it is high time they were rewarded for these efforts.’
He commented that opinion suggests that a gradual TAC increase from the current 23,000 tonnes, rising over the coming three years to 35,000 tonnes would allow the stock to continue to be exploited at MSY level.
‘The reality is a long way removed from the extinction scenario that the NGOs with their media backing have been spreading. The stock is now at a high level and it is time to put bluefin tuna back on our plates.’
